Pipe thread protector



April 25, 1939- B. ENGSTROM PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR Filed April 10, 1957 INVENTOR WITNESSES 714, 697M 3105 M ,JM

ATTORNEY6.

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR Birger Engstrom, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, of sixty one-hundredths to The National Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 10, 1937, Serial No. 136,117

3 Claims.

This invention relates to thread protectors, and more particularly to an improved form of protector for use on interiorly threaded pipes or tubes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a protector of this character which is both sturdy and dependable, although comparatively light in weight and exceedingly simple of construction.

A further object is to provide a protector of this kind which is both exceptionally easy to install and remove and also adapted to enclose the end of the protected article. 7

These and various other objects as well as the other novel features and advantages of the invention will be apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of which Fig. 1 is a plan view with a portion removed; and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view of Fig. l of an illustrative embodiment of the invention installed in the end of a threaded tube.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I designates the protector and the numeral 2 a tube in which it is installed for the protection of the threads 3. As shown, the body proper of the protector comprises a continuous shell 4 which has a diameter adapting it to fit loosely in the end of the tube and a length which is sufficient to extend well over the threads 3.

Accordingly, with the customary practice as shown in Fig. 2, tubular articles of this character are ordinarily provided with threads which terminate at a point, such as indicated at 5, which is spaced inwardly somewhat from the outer end of the tube leaving a non-threaded band 6 about the tube at its outer end. For holding the protector in place it is provided with a plurality of circumferential screws 1 which are disposed to be screwed into and out of locking engagement with this nonthreaded surface 6, thereby eliminating any possible injury to the threads by the protector itself. To adequately support these screws without requiring an unnecessarily heavy shell 4, a substantial band or ring 8 is secured to the shell in any suitable manner and the screws are extended through it as well as the shell. While such band may be secured to either the inner or outer surface of the shell, it is shown here as being applied to the outer surface, in which position it may be conveniently held in place by merely shrinking or welding it in place. This band also serves a further purpose in that it functions to reinforce the end of the pipe so as to assist in preventing the pipe from being bent or jammed by impacts in handling or shipping.

To prevent injury to the end of the tube and also limit the extent to which the protector may be inserted in the tube, a reinforced bead 9 is provided on the outer end of the shell I. This also reinforces the shell against being easily deformed.

Over that area of the shell I which is adapted to lie opposite the threads 3 of the tube, there is 10 preferably provided a liner ll of suitable packing material which is secured to the shell in any convenient manner and adapted to function both as a cushion between the shell and threads and also as means for effecting a seal between the two its sturdiness and enclose the end of the pipe to prevent the ingress of foreign material when the pipe is being handled, shipped or stored.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes I have explained the principle and method of construction of my invention and have 3 illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. An inside thread protector for a pipe having an annular unthreaded band between its thread and adjoining end, comprising a tubular member of a diameter smaller than that of the inside of the pipe, a reinforcing ring encircling the outer portion of said tubular member substantially in engagement with the wall of said unthreaded band, and a series of circumferentially spaced elements extending through the outer end of said member and adjustable therein for releasably engaging the wall of said band to hold said member in position spaced from said thread.

2. An inside thread protector for a pipe having an annular unthreaded recess between its thread and adjoining end of the pipe, comprising a tubular shell of a diameter smaller than that of the inside of the pipe, a reinforcing ring encircling the outer portion of the shell substantially in 5 10 that of the inside of the pipe, a reinforcing ring encircling the outer portion of the shell substantially in engagement with the wall of said recess, a plurality of circumferentially spaced screws threaded through said shell and ring for engaging the wall of said recess to detachably secure the shell in the pipe in spaced relation to said thread, and a packing liner encircling said shell and engaging the pipe thread.

IBIRGER ENGSTROM. 

